Note published in the September issue of Deploy your career magazine
I’ve always loved music, ever since I was a little girl. At 16, I taught myself to play the guitar. I wasn’t an expert, but it was enough to sing the songs I liked. I always dreamed of composing something of my own; melodies would appear, but the words felt ridiculous, or I simply couldn’t find what to say. In reality, what I felt was fear.
Throughout my adult life, music continued to be my companion. I tried learning other instruments and took singing lessons, always as a hobby.
This summer, while on vacation at the beach with my friends, I came across an Instagram Reel for a course: «The Craft of Songwriting.» My heart started leaping like a child’s about to convince her parents to buy her a big gift. My friend, who was next to me, noticed and said, «That course is for you.» So I held on to her words, and there I went, with my guitar, to experiment.
And what happened? After years of feeling it was something I couldn’t do, I composed my first three songs!
The trick? It was a course assignment with a deadline. That little bit of pressure helped me focus on the goal without overthinking it. The most important lesson was to trust the resources I already had, listen to what I wanted to say, and simply do it.
Today, when I listen to them, I have no idea how they came to be… What I do know is that they are heartfelt and sincere. I feel proud of the process and the result. And I wonder: how many possibilities do we have that we don’t see until someone gives us a little push?
My work in technology often feels like writing a song: when the assignment appears, I have no idea what I’m going to write, but I trust that I have the resources and that I can build it. That gives me a sense of calm and enjoyment.
If I get blocked or feel «burnt out,» my trick is to rest. I leave the space, I walk as if moving away from the problem, I take a break. I know that insisting by forcing my thoughts doesn’t help and that my brain keeps processing, in the «background.»
Other times, it helps to talk to coworkers or to think, «How would I explain this problem to my 80-year-old aunt?»—even though I don’t have an aunt that age. I also use pen and paper, I draw. I converse with AI: «How would you approach the solution to this problem? Give me alternatives.» The different perspectives help me open my mind, and so, little by little, I compose the answers.
Until recently, I didn’t take art very seriously: I didn’t dare, I was afraid to fail. But I discovered that the strategies for creating were the same, whether it was a recipe, an algorithm, or a song. Mind and heart. Heart and mind.
Art in my life today is more important than ever. Besides being a source of resources for my work, it helps me listen better, be more flexible, and savor empathy. When I immerse myself in that world, I feel that life softens and my freedom expands.
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